


the past is another country (one so far away)

by TardisIsTheOnlyWayToTravel



Category: Smallville, Superman - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Futurefic, M/M, Soulmates, doesn't follow canon, post-Smallville
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-11
Updated: 2014-08-11
Packaged: 2018-02-12 16:50:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2117436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TardisIsTheOnlyWayToTravel/pseuds/TardisIsTheOnlyWayToTravel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written on the inside of Clark’s arm are the words <i>‘I could’ve sworn I hit you’</i>. Somewhere out there, Lex Luthor is going about his business, with the words <i>‘If you had, I’d be… I’d be dead’</i> inked on his.</p><p>Some things aren’t repairable, but sometimes, Clark wishes anyway.</p>
            </blockquote>





	the past is another country (one so far away)

**Author's Note:**

> Because I wanted angsty soulmate-AU post-Rift fic, and _there isn't any._

**the past is another country (one so far away)**

Written on the inside of Clark’s arm are the words _‘I could’ve sworn I hit you’._ Somewhere out there, Lex Luthor is going about his business, with the words ‘ _If you had, I’d be… I’d be dead’_ inked on his.

Some things aren’t repairable, but sometimes, Clark wishes anyway.

* * *

Lois once asked Clark – half-jokingly, half out of genuine curiosity – if he has a soulmark. Clark had smiled self-deprecatingly and said something about not being that interesting, all the while resisting the urge to rub his arm where Lex’s words were engraved on his skin.

Lois bought it completely ( _of course she did_ , thinks the small, quiet part of Clark that has learnt to hold things against people), and the conversation moved on, and Lois never noticed that Clark’s smile was strangely bitter as he got back to work, fingers brushing against the inside of his arm.

And Superman? Well, he’s an alien. Why would _he_ have a soulmark?

* * *

The Flash asks about it once.

“Hey, Supes, I was wondering, do Kryptonians have soulmates?” he asks out of the blue.

Clark tenses, but then Superman gives Flash a smile, because Flash has no way of knowing what a sore topic soulmates are for Clark.

“I don’t think anyone on Krypton had them, no,” he says honestly, because it’s true – as far as he knows, no one on Krypton ever did. Clark hasn’t been on Krypton for a very long time, but he doesn’t think that the Flash will think of that. Everyone thinks of Superman as alien, as Kryptonian.

Clark still thinks of Earth as home, even if it isn’t his birthright. Krypton is nothing but a story to him.

“Huh,” says Flash, a brief look of something that might be pity crossing his face.

Clark looks away, and sees Diana looking at him, her expression pensive.

He doesn’t need to ask why; she’s always seen more of Clark than Superman.

He wonders how much she’s worked out, just by watching.

* * *

According to popular theory, being separated from your soulmate is the worst thing anyone can experience. Novels, TV, and film are all full of tales of passionate soulmate bonds, of soulmates who found each other and loved each other in exclusion of all else, of soulmates who were torn asunder and couldn’t live without the other. Choosing death over separation is a popular theme.

Clark, as a journalist, knows better. 10% of soulmate bonds don’t work out, while 7.8% of people with a soulmark never meet their soulmate within their lifetime. The scientific literature shows that while yes, most people experience significant distress at being separated from their soulmate, most of them also eventually just… move on. Get on with their lives, the way people do after any terrible event.

Lois stares in unabashed surprise the first time that Clark recites the statistics, and says something about how that’s unusually cynical of him. Clark just shrugs, and says he’s being realistic.

“Let me guess, you were one of those kids who spent your childhood wishing you had a soulmate,” Lois says knowingly.

Clark only smiles thinly, and thinks, _be careful what you wish for, alright._

After that, Lois gets it into her head that Clark is one of those people who grew up bitter about the fact that they don’t have a soulmate. Clark tries to correct her misapprehension, but it never works, much to his annoyance.

The fact is, Lois is closer to the truth than Clark would like to admit.

* * *

Superman is on patrol when he hears the words:

_“Shut it down! Now!”_

_“Sir, it isn’t shutting down!”_

_“Oh, God.”_

He knows that voice, knows it all too well, and flies faster than the speed of sound. He and Luthor have had _talks_ about Superman invading Lexcorp labs, but Clark doesn’t hesitate.

When he gets there, the machine is ready to blow, and a gaggle of terrified scientists are standing there in a panic, while Lex stares at the machine with a desperate look. Clark grabs all of them in a flailing bundle and _goes_. The explosion spreads out behind him, but Clark is faster, and has the small group out of the building just in time.

He deposits them gently on the ground a safe distance away, his eyes going immediately to Lex, checking him for injuries even thought Clark knows that he got everyone out safely.

Lex stares back at him, and just for a moment, Lex’s eyes say everything that Clark wishes he has the words for. And for just a moment, Clark thinks –

But Lex takes a half-step back, straightening his suit, a smile of polite thanks already on his lips, and the moment is gone. Lex thanks Superman for saving them all, and adds something about how Lexcorp is grateful for his intervention.

“Just doing my best to help,” Superman says, and his smile is as bright and insincere as any movie star’s.

Clark takes to the sky, and tries to ignore the way his heart aches.

* * *

Superman and Lex Luthor are sworn enemies. Everyone knows that. They’ve had more than enough fights to prove it. Too many people have seen how it goes – Luthor does something Superman disapproves of; Superman intervenes, sometimes with the Justice League behind him; Luthor curses his name and calmly rearranges his plans into a configuration that lasts until the next time the two of them fight.

No one knows that in truth, when you come right down to it, there’s really just one fight that’s being going on for years, and the details of whatever Luthor’s done now are almost irrelevant.

* * *

Sometimes, Clark thinks about the words on Lex’s arm (‘ _If you had, I’d be… I’d be dead’)_ and regrets that his very first words to Lex were a lie.

But only sometimes. He’s seen what Lex does with the truth.

* * *

One evening when Clark and Lois are working late Lois brings up the soulmate thing yet again, and Clark doesn’t know why he does it, but he rolls up his sleeve and shows Lois the writing on the inside of his arm.

Lois stares curiously, reading the words with a raised eyebrow, and looks back at Clark.

“You know who it is.” It’s not a question. Lois is good at sensing a story, and Clark is too cynical about soulmates for there not to be a story there.

Clark gives a faint laugh that isn’t really amused.

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

“Try me,” Lois challenges.

So Clark does.

“Lex Luthor,” he says, and Lois looks hilariously taken-aback. “I met him years ago. Saved his life, actually.”

“So what happened?” Lois demands avidly. Clark shrugs.

“It didn’t work out,” is all he says.  
 

**Author's Note:**

> I've got to stop being sucked into fandoms I've _never even watched._ Seriously, Smallville fandom, what have you done to me? Why am I writing fic for you?
> 
> Hopefully everyone's reasonably in-character and there are no glaring flaws in this.


End file.
